The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-06-24
WASHINGTON LETTER
From our Regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON LETTER
tFrom our Regular Correspondent.l
WASHINGTON. d. c.. June Goth, 1887.
Unless it be purely the desire to be
fashionable, cannot see why the peo-
pie of Washington leave their own
homes every season and seek Summer
resort when, in fact, Washington
would do well to set up itself az a first
class Summer resort, nearly all neces-
sary conditions being extremely favor
able. The city is almost surrounded
by water, there are always plenty of
amusements and novelties, and the eli
mate and temperature seem almost
perfection. All last Summer the ther.
mometer did not 60 over 93 degrees,
and only twice this Sumner has it
reached 90.
The Sunday Summer concerts in the
Smithsonian grounds have been aban-
doned for the present, but it is pro.
posed to resume these charming enter
tainments as soon as sufficient funds
for the purpose can be provided.
War on the caterpillar is the order
of the day in the Capitol City, and a
score or more of men are engaged in
destroying the cocoons of these pests
which infest the stately shade trees of
the many beautiful parks.
In religious circles last Sunday the
attraction was the Rev. Sam. Small,
the Georgia evangelist, who preached
most effectively, and in a style pic
turesquely original, to two immense
congregations, hundreds standing, and
hundreds being turned away. Mr..
Small's witty sallies drew forth invol-
untary applause and recalled the say
ings of the noted character he formerly
portrayed, "Old ST." of the "Atlanta
Constitution"
The burst of martial feeling over
the incident of the Confederate battle
flags is most unfortunate, and it ap-
pears was unnecessarily magnified, per.
haps for political purposes, as is evi-
denced by Mr. Sherman's bitter re.
marks on the subject. think the
great republic of modern times might
well follow, in that respect, the exam
pie of the great republic of ancient
times, mighty Rome, who decreed nc
triumphs to Generals for victories w on
over their own fellow citizens, and per
mitted no monuments to be built to
perpetuate the unhappy memories Of
civil wars. l believe it would be best
for tho re united republic to gather all
of our battle-fags, both Federal and
Confederate, and make big bonfire
of them, to the tune of the "Star
Spangled Banner" and Dixie played
by the Boys in Blue and the Boys in
Gray, in front of the White House.
Such generous, magnanimous deeds
would be applauded by enthusiastic
thousands and be the pyre of all Sec
tional animosities, for "Peace hath her
Victories not less renowned than war
Madam Grundy and her coterie are
discussing choice bit of social gos.
sip of highly sensational nature. A
chief clerk of one of the Departments
under the late Republican Administra-
tion was great society favorite, re-
garded as a confirmed bachelor and
had for Is years boarded at swell
house in the West End, presided over
by handsome and highly respectable
widow. The other day the clerk qui-
city changed lodgings, and the charm.
ing widow FLED an application for a
divorce, setting forth that the pair had
been secretly married in Baltimore Ia
years ago. Thus this man 30 promi.
nent in official and social circles has
been leading double life, living lie,
all these years. "Mercy me how
much sweetness / have wasted on that
man" sadly exclaimed fair clerk in
his former Department and many 9TH
ers echo this disappointed maiden's
sentiment and grieve as those without
hope. But do not see how the chief
clerk should be condemned without
mercy, as there are extenusting circum
stances in the case, the principal one
being that he is fit type of the hy
pocrisy of the party which appointed
him. Like many of the disconsolate
bellies of Washington. l dismiss him
with long-drawn sigh.
At last, Speaker Carlisle has yielded
to the pressure upon him of Congress
men and business men and openly an
nounces himself in favor of an extrs
session of Congress. But, it is ex
tremely doubtful whether the President
deems the financial situation of the
country warrants measure so extra
ordinary. He has firmly opposed al
extra session since the question wa,
first agitated, and he is a man who
very seldom changes his position
Therefore, l think there will be no ex
ira session. Another view of the
matter is, that it would afford the Re
publicans much coveted opportunity
to make political capital, and of course
their leaders are in the affirmative.
The colored people of WashingtoE
were both surprised and delighted the
other night by President Cleveland at
tending the commencement of thei,
High school and distributing the di,
plomas- By such little courtesies the
President has made himself immensely
popular with our colored citizens.
To-day that eminent prelate, Cardi
nal Gibbons, who has lately returned
from a visit to Rome, was warmly
greeted and administered spiritual com
fort to great outpouring of Catholic
population. The Cardinals power il
great, and he exercises it for the gooG
of the State as well as the church.